Midnight Lady
by Sincerely-Vixen
Summary: "Sad isn't it?" She asked as we stood in silence. "For its' whole life, it grows, it suffers in the rough weather, all to reach a goal of becoming this perfect blossom...only to die an hour later." She paused for a second. "It's a lot like love." InuXKag.


Midnight Lady

One-Shot

Vixen-Virus

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/Tragedy.

Summary: "Isn't that sad?" She asked as we stood in silence. "For it's whole life…it grows, it strives through the rough weather…all to finally reach a goal of blooming into this magnificent, perfect flower…and then only to die nearly an hour later." She paused for a second "It's a lot like love, isn't it?" InuXKag.

Inspiration: My brother. SPITE WRITE! Haha. Love you!

Extra: Otafest 2010 is starting today, and if you happen to live in the area, make sure to drop on by and check out the guidebook, as I wrote a short fanfic that is published in it, entitled: _"Fireflies."_

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Midnight Lady

**S**oft pink lips, high blushed cheek bones and bright blue eyes. She was the epidemy of beauty. She was soft as an angel, as sweet as a flower and as perfect as the very word. I loved her. I lost her.

"Yasha, Yash? Hey, InuYasha, are you even listening anymore?" I snapped my head from the ceiling and looked to my right. I blinked a few times as if trying to pull myself back into reality and not into the deep, bottomless memories that lay scattered around me.

"Are you okay?...You're not thinking of Kagome still, are you?" I didn't say much nor did I really take the question into consideration as I answered. Was I okay? I didn't know anymore. I didn't remember what it felt like to be okay.

I looked back through the silver mask that covered the space around my eyes. I loosened my grip on the flute of champagne that was in my hand and took a greedy gulp of it before facing the deep purple mask, enhancing the deep blue eyes of my best friend. I could tell, even though the mask covered most of his face, that he was worried. I couldn't blame him.

I was worried about myself as well.

"Miroku, I'm fine." I tried to sound assuring, but I wasn't sure I was pulling it off. I glanced down, scanning over Miroku's suit, a deep black, with a tint of purple suit with a deep royal purple tie. Purple was his favourite color. I smirked slightly. He cleaned up quite nicely. I watched as he straightened his suit again.

"Have you seen my date?" He asked, scanning the crowd. I shrugged my shoulders, feeling a bit uncomfortable in the black suit. I loosened the silver tie that seemed to be trying to slowly suffocate me before I started searching for his long time girlfriend, Sango.

"Last I saw she was getting a drink." I mentioned, looking to the refreshment table. I finally saw a small, petite woman wearing a soft pink dress at the table, sipping some champagne. She smiled at me, behind her pink eye mask. I nodded my head at her, turning the attention to my best friend again.

"I'm gong to go over to her, you sure you're okay?" He asked again. For as long as I could remember, Miroku had been that way. He would be by my side no matter the cause, no matter the tragedy and no matter the consequence.

I rolled my eyes, telling him to get lost. I wasn't one to show emotions well but I knew Miroku understood. He smiled and nodded his head, running a hand through his short black hair, making himself presentable before he jogged toward his date.

I watched as he slowly faded from my vision. No matter what, I would be by his side as well. Miroku, I had known him nearly all my life and for all the time we had known each other, he had been there. He stood beside me and I would stand beside him.

We were brothers. We were friends.

Best friends.

I sighed and shook my head, taking the last of the bubbly liquid down my throat and placing it on the empty silver tray that was held by a waiter as he dashed around the crowded masquerade ball. I looked around, trying to avoid people.

I don't even understand why we came. I knew it was for Miroku's work but why did we have to have this huge gathering…for a plant? That's right. For a plant. I know it's rare and whatever…but a plant?

Come _on._

I walked around again, shoving my hands deep into my pockets, as I that would make me less noticeable as I walked through the crowd and out the French windows that stood all around the room. I took in a deep breath, closing my gold eyes from the world for a moment, losing myself in the pure innocence of the garden that danced under the moon.

I smirked slightly as I opened my eyes to the darkness. There was a quiet fountain to the right, a mermaid holding a large vase that spouted water into a small round pond, koi fish swimming happily around. I glanced to the middle of the fresh garden, seeing a large flower; it's bulb dripping water into the grass below. Watching the tiny droplets fall from the tips of the leaves and the bulbs under the moon made everything feel so fresh.

So new.

As if we could start over again.

A pain seeped into my heart. I swallowed thickly, trying to push past the pain and remember what it was like without her.

Without love.

The wind steadily blew by, picking my silver locks with it and wrapping itself around my broad body, trying to shelter me from the outside world, something I gladly welcomed.

"Midnight Lady." A very feminine voice called from behind me. I quickly glanced over to see a small figure of a woman. Her curves wrapped in a tight velvet black dress, a low V-neck teasing the eye as I looked up. Her eyes, a baby blue hue to them, though it was hard to see in the light, even under the moon.

Her heart shaped face was surrounded by black tresses that hung in soft curls; her face was mostly covered by a deep black mask. I knew I knew her, but I was too withdrawn into a self pity fest I didn't care anymore. I turned from her, staring back at the bulbed plant.

"What?"

"The plant," She smiled. I liked her smile. "It's nicknamed the Midnight Lady. It spends its whole time from it's seedling to its adult hood to bloom for only one hour around midnight." She spoke as she walked closer to me. I could feel her warmth radiating off her arm and to mine. She stood closer. I didn't mind.

"Isn't that sad?" She asked as we stood in silence. I didn't answer her; I didn't know why it was so sad. Not until she continued.

"For it's whole life…it grows, it strives through the rough weather…all to finally reach a goal of blooming into this magnificent, perfect flower…and then only to die nearly an hour later." She paused for a second, the wind picking up around us, pushing the bubling flower for a moment before slowly fading. "It's a lot like love, isn't it?"

My interest peeked as I heard her words, filled with so much sorrow, so much sadness.

So much pain.

"How so?"

"Love. It's a struggle. It hurts, it cries, it laughs, it cares…but in the end…it's _temporary_. It doesn't last. Just like that flower, it doesn't last. It _dies_."

I glanced at her. She stood still beside me, her height only bringing her to my chin. She stared at the flower, as if in a trance. I was about to say something, to tell her otherwise before I realized I couldn't.

Sometimes it didn't last.

I kept my mouth shut before a few party guests joined us outside. They all gasped and called everyone out. The flower, the Midnight Lady was blooming. Soon, I stood with her surrounded by a crowd of people in masks, laughing and whispering in delight as the bulb slowly started to bloom under the moonlight.

I could hear the excitement but above all, I felt the sadness within the girl beside me.

"Look at the perfection!"

"So beautiful!"

"What an amazing flower!"

So many whispers, so many gasps…but no one understood the pain that flower would endure. Soon, it would die. I watched as it's petals slowly forced there way out, a beautiful crimson shone beneath the moon. I had to admit, it was beautiful.

As the hour slipped on, the guests went back inside. No one but me and the girl to my right had stayed to see the flowers last moments. It started to shrivel from its perfection, the stem wilting. I glanced to the pale face beside me and saw a lone tear slip from beneath her mask.

"Good bye." She whispered to the flower as it slowly died before us. I looked back to the flower and whispered my own goodbye before I felt the warmth leave my side. I looked quickly to see the young woman starting to leave.

"Wait." I wasn't sure what I would say to her, or if I should say anything but before I could think my mouth had moved. I watched as she stilled, slightly turning to face me, but still hiding behind her mask.

"…You said that that stupid plant was like love, right?" I knew I was sounding rude, but I couldn't help it. In situations like this, I had always been this rough around the edges.

"You said that love would never last. That it was short, like the life of that, _stupid_ _plant,_ but I have to tell you something." I felt the adrenaline rushing through my veins, pushing me over the edge of chances and diving into the hope I had built up. I needed to say this. I just had to.

"You're wrong. In the end, that plant is a plant and love is something different. In the end, you can love, forever. I know it can. Because I've felt it, I'm still feeling it. I still love someone." It rushed out faster then I could recall it. I wanted this stranger to know that love could last forever. I wanted this stranger to know that love was not the same as a plant. It was in its own category. It was ever lasting.

We stood in silence for a while as I caught my breath. She turned her back to me finally. We didn't say anything as she continued to make her way to the ballroom, before stopping short.

"…You're right…love _can_ last forever. Thank you for reminding me." She whispered before walking again. I clenched my fists and stopped my feet from moving.

"Good bye…" I whispered, enough for her to hear. "…Kagome…" I watched her move through the crowd until I couldn't see her anymore. I felt the strain of my heart beat but fought through it. She was still the same woman I loved after all this time…and even if things hadn't gone in our favour, she would always have a special spot in my heart, reserved only for her. Turning my attention back to the delicate flower, or what was left of it, before me, I smiled sadly.

"Midnight Lady…"

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A/N: Love is rarely ever simple, it rarely ever is easy, but it is always, _always_, worth it.

So fight for it. Never give up on it. Always love.

Take care,

Vixen


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